Saturn, surrounded by its beautiful rings and accompanied by numerous moons, is one of the wonders of the sky and the Solar System. The Cassini–Huygens spacecraft is now approaching the planet to study it. The mission is a joint project of the U.S. space agency (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The spacecraft's mission will last four years, with major objectives including the study of Saturn's rings, its moons, and its complex magnetosphere.
Mission scientists hope that Cassini will proceed as planned and, as it draws closer to Saturn, provide more detailed information about the planet's rings, magnetosphere, and icy moons, helping answer questions such as:
- Saturn produces 87 percent more heat than the energy it receives from the Sun. What is the source of this energy?
- What is the origin of Saturn's rings, and what causes their colors?
- Does Saturn have additional, as-yet-undiscovered moons?
- Why does Enceladus have such a smooth surface? Have recent geological processes erased its craters?
- What is the source of the dark material covering one side of Iapetus?
- What chemical activity takes place in the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's largest moon? What is the source of methane—a compound involved in biological processes on Earth—that is abundant in Titan's atmosphere?
The mission's most important upcoming milestones are:
- June 11, 2004: A flyby at an altitude of about 2,000 kilometers past Phoebe, Saturn's outermost known moon at the time. Images of the moon have already been transmitted.
- July 1, 2004: The spacecraft will enter its planned orbit around Saturn. It will first fire its main engine to reduce its speed and allow Saturn's gravity to capture it. Once in the designated orbit, its four-year mission will begin.
- December 25, 2004: The Huygens probe will separate from Cassini and begin its 21-day journey toward Titan.
- January 14, 2005: Huygens will enter Titan's atmosphere and, several hours later, land on its surface. It will then transmit its images and data to Cassini, which will relay them to Earth.
For more details and to follow the mission, you can find the latest news here.